Clothes drier



y 1949- c. L. RICHARDSON I 2,470,646

CLOTHES DRIER Filed March 24, 1948 Patented May 17, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTHES DRIER Charles L. Richardson, Belmont, Mass.

Application March 24, 1948, Serial No. 16,703

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a portable clothes drier and its principal objects are to provide an efficient drier for home use, which may be hung on a wall, supported on a table or bench, or otherwise conveniently positioned during use, and which is designed to dry out clothing and the like articles in a relatively short period; and to provide a drier which is of relatively light weight, but of strong and durable construction, which is compact and capable of being easily handled, and which may be manufactured and sold at a relatively low cost.

Further objects will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away and shown in section of a clothes drier constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, with parts broken away, of the drier shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an elevation illustrating the manner in which the drier may be hung on a wall.

The embodiment herein shown for the purpose of illustration comprises an elongate crib-like body l, preferably of a reflecting metal such as aluminum, stainless steel, tin plate or the like, and which is of generally parabolic or arcuate cross section. A channel-like support 2 is soldered, welded or otherwise secured to the base or bottom wall portion of the body so that the drier may be supported in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, or in a vertical position against a wall W, as shown in Fig. 4, in which case the upper end of the channel 2 may be provided with an opening 3 (Fig. 1) to receive a wall hook or the like,

The lower end of the body is somewhat shallower than the upper end or head, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4, and is provided with an end plate or closure d which extends outwardly beyond the side portions of the body 1 to provide a stand or foot which alone is capable of supporting the drier in upright position. If desired, the inner part of the plate 4 may be provided with perforations 5 (Fig. l) to enhance circulation of air as hereinafter described. The head end is also provided with a closure plate 6 which extends outwardly beyond the side wall portions of the body and is inclined toward the opposite end to provide a deflector 8.

A partition I0 (Figs. 1 and 2) extends at an angle of approximately 45 from the bottom wall portion to the outer end portion of the plate 6 and not only provides a baflie, but also defines an enclosed chamber II (Fig. 1). A plurality of electrical heating elements l2 are disposed along the bottom wall portion and are maintained in properly spaced relation to each other by longitudinally and transversely extending spacers l4 secured in any suitable manner to a metallic refiector shield iii, the body portion of which is spaced from the adjacent bottom wall portion of the body I, as shown in Fig. 3, to minimize heat conduction. A relatively coarse screen 15 of convex contour extends above the heating elements l2 from one end thereof to the other and divides the interior of the body I into an inner flow channel I! and an outer flow channel l8, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

A small electric motor 20 is mounted. on a bracket 2| within the chamber 1 I so that its shaft 22 extends at approximately right angles through an opening in the partition l0, as shown in Fig. 1. The projecting end of the shaft 22 carries a fan blade 25 and the parts are so constructed and arranged that the fan 25 induces a flow of air through the inner channel about the heating elements I2 toward the fan and against the partition or baffle 10 and deflector 8, and a counterfiow of the heated air in the outer channel [8, as indicated by the arrows of Fig. 1. The motor 20 and heating elements I2 are connected in parallel in the electrical circuit so that when the cord 28 is connected to an outlet operation of the motor and heater takes place.

Between the opposite ends 4 and 6 is a pair of spaced clothes racks 39 and 3!, both of which are pivotally connected to the side wall portions of the body so that they may be swung from a collapsed position substantially parallel to the longitudinal edges of the body to an arcuate position at right angles thereto, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, or any intermediate position, as desired. The upper rack 30, as shown in Fig. 3, comprises a plurality of spaced arms and the rack 31 is an arcuate-shaped length of metal, but it is to be understood that any other form of clothes rack may be used which will hold or support articles to be dried along the outer flow channel 18 so that they are not only subjected to radiation from the heating elements 12, but also to the heated countercurrent of air induced by the fan l0.

With the construction and arrangement of parts herein shown air is continuously circulated from the lower end of the body, through the inner channel I! where it is heated, against the baffle l and deflector 8, and then in a generally countercurrent direction along the outer channel I8 through the clothes or articles supported by the racks 30, 3|. Thus, such articles are subjected to direct radiation from the heating elements [2, the warm air currents induced by the fan It! and a slight amount of conduction through the racks 30, 3|. When relatively light fabrics such as diapers, underclothing, etc., are properly supported on the racks, it is but a matter of a few minutes to effect complete drying at moderate indoor humidities, and for heavier articles the time required for drying is but a small fraction of what would otherwise be necessary.

It will be noted that the drier may be conveniently positioned horizontally, vertically or'inclined, and that when not inuseit may bereadily collapsed so that it can be stored away in a closet, cabinet or other accessible place.

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in. the appended claims.

I claim? '1. A portable clothes driercomprising an elongate crib-like body having a closed end and a partition extending diagonally from the bottom wall portion. to the outer edge or" said closed end so as. to define an enclosed chamber, heating elements extending along the bottom wall portion of said body between the inner'end' of said partitionand the other end of'said body, ascreen extending above said heating elements so asto divide the interior of said body into. longitudinally extending inner and outer fi'ow channels, a motor within said. chamber:having its shaft extending through said partition, a fan carried by the projecting end of said shaft, the parts being so constructed and arranged that said fan induces a flow of air through the inner channel about said heating elementstoward said fan and against said partition and a counterfiow of heated air toward said opposite end, and a rack for supporting articles .to'be dried so that they are suspended in said outer flow channel where theyare subjected both to radiation from said heating elementsand the counterfiow of heated air.

2. A portable clothesdrier comprising an elongate crib-like body of arcuatev cross-section having a closed end and a-partition extending diagonally from the bottom wall portion to the outer .edge of said closed end so as to define .an enclosed chamber, electrical heating elements extending along the bottom wall portion of said body between the inner end of said partition and the other end of saidbody, a screen extending above said heating elements so as to dividethe interior of said body into longitudinally extendinginner and outer flow channels, a motor within said chamber having its shaft extending through said partition, afan carried by the projecting end of said shaft, the parts being so constructed and arranged that said fan induces a flow of air through the inner channel about said heating elements toward said fan and against said partitionand a counterfiow of heated air toward said opposite end, and a rack for supporting articles to be dried so that they ar suspended in said outer flow channel where they are subjectedboth to radiation from said heating elements'andthe counterflow of heated -air.

3. Aportable clothes drier comprising. amelongate crib-like body having a closed end and a partition extending diagonally from the bottom wall portion to the outer edge of said closed end so as to define an enclosed chamber, heating elements extending along the bottom Wall portion of said body between the inner end of said partition and the other end of said body, a screen extending above said heating elements so as todivide the interior of said body into longitudinally extendinginner and outer flow. channels, a motor Within said chamber having its shaft extending through said partition, a fan carried by the projecting end of said shaft, a deflector adjoining the :outer end of said partition and inclined toward said opposite end, the parts being so constructed and arranged that said fan induces a flow of air-through the inner channel about said heating elements toward said fan and against said partition and deflector and a counterfiow of heated air toward said opposite end, and a rack for supporting articles to be dried so that they are; suspended in said outer flow channel where they are subjected both to radiation from said heating elements and the counterflow of heated air.

LA. portable clothes driercomprising an elongate cribe'like. body having a closed end and a partition extending at an. angle of approximately 45- from the: bottom wall portion to the outer edge of said closed end so as todefine an enclosed chamber, heating elements extending along said bottom Wall portion between the inner end of said partition and the outer end of said body, a convex'screen extending above said heating elements so as to. divide the interior of said body in-to,--.longitudinal1y extending inner and outer flow channels, a motor within said chamber having its shaft extending through said partition at approximately right angles thereto, a fan carried bythe projecting end of said shaft, the parts being so constructed and arranged that said fan induces afiow of air through the inner channel about said heating elements toward said fanandagainst said partition and deflector and a counterfiow'of heated air toward said. opposite end,.andi arack forsupporting articles to be dried so that. they are suspended in said outer flow channel where-they are subjected both to radiation from-said heating elements and the counterflow of. heated: air.

5. .A portable fclothes drier comprising an elongate crib-like body having a. closed end and a partition extending from the bottom Wall at approximately 45 to the outer edge portion of saidclosed end so as to define an enclosed chamber, electrical heating elements extending along the bottom wall ofsaid body between the inner end of said partition and the outer end of said body, a convex screen extending above said heatingelements so as to divide said body into. longitudinaliyextending inner and outerfl'ow channels, a motor Within said chamber having its shaftuextending through said partition at. approximately rightangles thereto, a fan carried by the projecting endof said shaft, a deflector adjoining .the. outer end of said partition and inclined toward said opposite end, the parts being socons'tructed andarranged that said fan induces a flow of air through theinner channel about said heating elements'toward said fan and against said partition and deflector and a counterflow of heated air along the outer channel, and a rack pivotally connected to the side wall portions of said body for supporting clothes to. be dried so that theyare suspended in said outer flow chan- CHARLES L. RICHARDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Powers Feb. 23, 1926 Lindstrom Feb. '7, 1928 Martinek Mar. 12, 1935 

